It now takes 28 years to save for a house in Switzerland

Against the backdrop of a housing shortage and global uncertainty, house and apartment prices in Switzerland have gone up by 1,5 percent so far in 2026. 

House prices in Switzerland up 1,5% so far in 2026

The price of buying a house in Switzerland continues to get more and more expensive, according to the latest report from the Federal Statistical Office (FSO). In the first quarter of 2026, the Swiss Residential Property Price Index (IMPI) rose by 1,5 percent. The IMPI is used to track the development of house prices across the country. 

The price of single-family homes rose by 1,1 percent compared to the previous quarter, and apartments went up by 1,8 percent. Urban municipalities within large metropolitan areas in cities such as Zurich, Geneva and Basel saw the biggest increase with house and apartment prices up 3,1 percent.

The latest statistics continue the trend seen in 2025, where the cost of investing in a property increased by an average of 4,6 percent across the entire year, according to an earlier FSO report.

Swiss mortgage rates rising due to global uncertainty

With the country facing a housing shortage, it is becoming increasingly difficult for residents to find somewhere to rent or buy. The country’s vacancy rate currently sits at just 1 percent and is felt more in cities or populous cantons. 

A lack of housing is one factor pushing up prices. Earlier this year, 20 Minuten reported that apartments in Switzerland became 36.000 Swiss francs more expensive in 2025, and 55.000 francs more for single-family homes. So much so that it now takes the average family 28 years to save for a house compared to 10 years in 2010.

The uncertainty created by the war in the Middle East is also starting to have an impact. According to Blick, there has been a “significant increase” in mortgage rates in Switzerland since February. 

According to Comparis, mortgage interest rates for a 10-year period rose from 1,77 percent to 1,84 percent. More people are also turning to mortgages with shorter terms, with three-year mortgages rising from 17 percent of the total share to 27 percent in Q1.